Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-01-13
MISSOURI SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.

| This school is also engaged in a necessar
ana valuable work for another of the unfortr
| nate classes OF our population. It asks fo
several thousand dollars less than the apprC
| pr1ation two years ago for current expenses.
| will. OF course, be sustained with the same lit
| eranty that has characterized our people here
| tofore.
VISITING AND EXAMINING COMMITTEES.
| The work of these two committees will b
| iald before you, gentlemen, by the committee
| themselves. They were appointed by me a
| early as the circumstances of their appoint
| ment would allow. am sure that you will fin
| the information furnished by them is a
| thorough and reliable the time at their dis
| posal would permit
| 1 feel that in forming both committees chos
| the right men and the State has been wei
| served by them.
PENITENTIARY.
This institution should receive your yer,
careful attention, both by reason of the larg,
] expenditure of money necessary for it's mainte
nance and because the problems involved in tn.
successful and economical management anC
| care of so many prisoners present very consid
cradle difficulty. Impressed with the impor
tance of this institution, have given close ant
| critical attention to the conduct of its affair!
| for the past two years, and I am glad to say
that in every particular it has been entirely sat
| isfactory. The Thirty-third General Assembly
appropriated 100000 out of the general reVe
| nues for its maintenance and improvement
! The warden. by my request and for the infor
| nation of your body, has printed the advance
| sheets of his report to the Board of Inspectors
| and reference to that report viii inform Vol
| in detail of the use made of such appropriation
L u
examination OF the prison has satisfied me
| that the inspectors and warden have expended
the money at their command with economy and
excellent judgment
Permanent improvements, buildings walls
and the like. the extensive but necessary and
valuable repairs. and the hetterYnents of the in
stitution generally are worth very much more
to the State than they have cost; and these i'm
provements go far toward placing the institu-
ton in condition to be selfsustainng On
this subject call particular attention 10 the
report alluded to, where you will find a de-
detailed account Of each item in the table
quoted therefrOm. This table covers the whole
of the two years 1sS5 and 1856.
Cost OF food consumed, 46525. A; average
cost per day per capita i2.4 cents.
Cost of clothing in use and consumed SCI
61S2s; average cost per day per capita, $40
cents.
Cost Of fuel and lights. 45,a94.45; average
cost per day per capita, 1884 cents
Cost OF ordinary repairs, estimated, $50, 600;
average cost per day per capita, 1.69 cents
Salaries of officers and employees 1929 522 % ::
average cost per day per capita. 10. 9S cents
Discharged convicts, hospital and other ex-
penses, Ss1,b'023; average cost per day per
Total daily average cost of each inmate, 81 5
cents.
Earnings from contract labor, s235,O44n
Earnings from sale Of bricks and stone Sl7-
1884. '
Daily average cost of each inmate after re-
duclng earnings, 1909 cents.
From the figures it appears that after exclud-
ing the permanent improvements and extraor-
binary repairs the cost of the institution cx
of ID cents to the inmate The reason for This
is that SO large a number of the prisoners are
not worked under contract, and the remedy
seems 10 be simple, namely. to put more OF
them under contract. This recommend IN
order to do it it will be necessary to build adGi,
tiOnal shop-room. This the inspectors and
warden recommend, and am sure such recon-
mendation well considered, and trust YOU. gen
tlemcn. will make the appropriation necessary
to execute their recommendations as made.
PARDONS
I herewith submit a statement of the re-
prieves, combinations and pardons granted by
me and the reasons therefor on separate pa
per.
COSTS IN CRIMINAL CASES.
The costs in criminal cases should receive
your early attention. They rapidly becon-
ing enormous, and really threaten TO become
burdensome. Although the appropriation for the
years 1885 and 1885 was 10000. it was exhaust
ed in August and since then costs have been in
Cured amounting to more than S1co.GOO. which
amount must be provided for in the Deficiency
bill. 1t is estimated that they will amount to
100000 in 1887 and 1888. This should not be.
Just how the governing dimensions of this draft
upon the peoples resources can best be
sured, do not know that am prepared to sug-
gest. However. one thing is perfectly clear to
me: 1t is matter demanding the most diligent
and thoughtful attention by those with whom
rests the remedy.
HIGH LICENSES.
Prior to the enactment and enforcement of
the law providing what is known as high license
for dramshopS. there were in this State 36OI
dramshops and other places where ardent spir-
Il revenue of S5i7, 30. There were, July 4
last 2,SSO such dramshops. yielding a revenue
of Sl.Si2, 20S.2i. These figures clearly indicate
that the law referred TO is accomplishing the
good result that was anticipated, and think,
prove the wisdom of it. There are imperfec-
tions in the present law which ought to be cor
rected. am OF the opinion that the traffic in
whisky is not sufficiently limited. That it ought
to be restricted to those who have paid the
high license of a dramshop-keeper, and that
druggists and merchants should not be allowed
to sell it any quantities whatever, except upon
medicinal purposes. What are known as gal
n-houses" should be abolished
Every one who desires whisky or ardent
spirits as beverage, should be compelled to
purchase it at those establishments which
under our high license law, are placed in their
competent police regulations. In my opinion,
such provision would conduce more towards &C
tual temperance than any other plan means
by civil law.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
IN this day Of rapid transit the germs Of dis
ease are carried from one place to another at
such great distance, and without any notice. so
easily and frequently, that the individual or
can no longer protect himself or
themselves from the sudden and unexpected in
road of pestilence and epidemic by the ordinary
there be some one whose public duty it shall be
to take notice to these things and give |
timely warning of the danger and in
structions for the best means of averting |
it. Your predecessors have lodged this duty |
In State Board of Health. The Thirty-third |
General Assembly made no appropriation for |
the use of such board, and, consequence, |
the gentlemen who now constitute the board |
have served the State in this important labor. |
not only without recompenSe, but at their own |
cost. deem it only their due to say that, in |
spite of this ungenerous treatment by the State,
they have given the business of the board their |
prompt and diligent attention, and should yet |
be paid for their past services. It is not be- |
cause they have done well and faithfully their |
duty. but it is because think the people will |
need their services in the future. and should |
not ask them to be given without proper pro- |
vision for meeting the necessary expenses that |
ture of the board. Their report contains |
some important suggestions As to needed leg !
slation, to which call your especial attention.
DISEASES OF ANIMALS.
The health of our domestic animals is only |
second in Importance to that of our citizens. |
All of them are subject to variety of con- |
tagtOuS infectious diseases, which, for the |
reasons Just stated, are liable to be carried |
from one place to another at great distances |
some rapid and efficient means of checking the |
spread of these diseases. either from outside |
our State into this State. or from this State into
another, or from one place to another within |
this State.
STATE MILITARY.
The military law now on our statutes is ut
terly inadequate to the purposes intended in
this enactment. the organization and mantle
nance of a well ordered citizen soldiery. I have
already, in n different connection, stated that
y think this State should make ample
provision for the care and protection of her
OWN citizens and their property, and not &c
pend upon either the Federal Government or
other State governments for one safety To
this end such military organization is
essential. The two most glaring imperfections
alluded to are: FIRST, absence of any provision
'or paying the soldiers when in the service of
he State. or even to meet the expenses necessa-
lily incurred in their movements when on duty: |
md second, absence of proper and efficient
of inforcing discipline at all times
when discipline is needed.
The Inconvenience and injustice from the first
If these deficiencies in the law, was made ap-
parent when the military were called upon BY
ne during the strike of March, 1885. The
necessary and proper expenses incurred
N their movements was paid by me out |
IF an appropriation subject to my order for a
similar purpose, but much too small for even
hat orrrose and the fair. reasonable and |